Percutaneous retrograde left external carotid artery coil embolization for management of hemorrhage from a persistent proatlantal intersegmental artery type 2

Abstract

Persistent fetal communications between the carotid and vertebrobasilar systems are rare and most often discovered incidentally. We present the case of a patient with oropharyngeal cancer status post chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical resection who developed acute oropharyngeal hemorrhage on postoperative day 36, originating from branches of the ligated external carotid artery stump by retrograde flow through a proatlantal intersegmental artery type 2. This hemorrhage was successfully controlled with coil embolization through percutaneous access of the external carotid artery without recurrence at 1-year follow-up.

Keywords

• Carotid artery
• Coil embolization
• Oropharyngeal cancer
• Hemorrhage